The prostate, vital for reproduction and urination, is prone to various health issues as men age.

Around half of men over 60 and 90% by age 80 experience an enlarged prostate, with 1 in 8 men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Regardless of age, maintaining prostate health is crucial.

Though there’s no fail-safe method to prevent prostate problems, adopting certain habits can mitigate risks.

Here are practical ways to promote prostate health:

1. **Maintain a Nutritious Diet**: Consuming a diet rich in healthy plant foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes can safeguard against prostate problems, notably prostate cancer. Steering clear of processed foods and sugary drinks is also essential.

2. **Regular Exercise**: Being physically active reduces the likelihood of an enlarged prostate. Incorporate regular exercise into your routine to support prostate and overall health while managing weight and averting cardiovascular diseases.

3. **Moderate Alcohol Consumption**: Excessive alcohol intake heightens the risk of prostate issues, including cancer and enlargement. Limit alcohol intake or consider abstaining entirely, opting for water instead to stay hydrated.

4. **Quit Smoking**: Smoking adversely affects every part of the body, including the prostate. While not directly linked to prostate cancer development, smoking can exacerbate its severity. Quitting smoking reduces this risk and enhances overall health.

5. **Screening**: Regular screenings for prostate cancer, starting at age 50 or earlier for high-risk individuals like those with a family history, are crucial. Although screenings don’t prevent cancer, they aid in early detection, when treatment is more effective.

Adopting these habits, along with regular screenings, can significantly contribute to prostate health, fostering overall well-being.

A recent study has indicated a potential link between intermittent fasting and an increased risk of dying from heart disease.

Intermittent fasting, a diet regimen involving consuming all food within an 8-hour window and fasting for the remaining 16 hours, has gained popularity as a method for weight management.

Presented at an American Heart Association meeting in Chicago by researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, the study analyzed dietary habits data from 20,000 adults in the United States spanning from 2003 to 2018.

Lead researcher Victor Zhong revealed that individuals who restricted their eating to an 8-hour daily window had a 91% higher risk of death from heart disease compared to those with a 12-16 hour eating window.

Zhong noted, “We were surprised to find that people who followed an eight-hour, time-restricted eating schedule were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Our research clearly shows that, compared with a typical eating time range of 12-16 hours per day, a shorter eating duration was not associated with living longer.”

The study also discovered that this risk extended to individuals with pre-existing heart conditions, with those following the eight-hour eating schedule facing a 66% increased risk of death compared to those with a longer eating window.

Interestingly, time-restricted eating did not demonstrate a reduction in the overall risk of death from any cause. However, there was a favorable association for individuals with cancer, as those consuming food for over 16 hours daily showed a lower risk of death from the disease.

Zhong emphasized the need for further research to better comprehend why time-restricted eating might negatively affect heart health.

Christopher D Gardner, a professor of Medicine at Stanford University, commented, “Overall, this study suggests that time-restricted eating may have short-term benefits but long-term adverse effects. When the study is presented in its entirety, it will be interesting and helpful to learn more of the details of the analysis.”

However, it’s worth noting a 2021 study that suggested intermittent fasting could improve measures of cardiometabolic health such as blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol levels.

Water, often celebrated as life’s essential element with the enduring saying “water has no enemy,” can, paradoxically, trigger discomfort and irritation for certain individuals upon contact with their skin.

You may have encountered someone experiencing intense itching or redness after bathing or touching water, prompting curiosity about the cause. This phenomenon is a skin condition known as aquagenic pruritus, which, despite its prevalence, remains largely undiscussed, leaving those affected unaware of its nature.

Aquagenic pruritus manifests as severe itching shortly after exposure to water, without visible symptoms like hives or rashes. Symptoms arise within minutes of water contact and can persist for an hour or longer, depending on severity. Any water temperature or type, including rainwater, can trigger this condition, with rainwater being the most common culprit according to research.

The exact cause of aquagenic pruritus remains elusive, though several factors may contribute. Genetic predisposition is suggested, as the condition can run in families, indicating a hereditary component. Certain medications, such as bupropion and antidepressants, have been linked to aquagenic pruritus, as have underlying medical conditions like polycythemia vera or autoimmune diseases.

Symptoms of aquagenic pruritus vary from person to person but commonly include severe itching, stinging, tingling, burning sensations, redness, and general discomfort upon water contact.

While there’s no cure for aquagenic pruritus, various treatments aim to alleviate symptoms. Oral antihistamines may help reduce itching and allergic reactions, while adjusting or discontinuing certain medications associated with the condition may offer relief. In severe cases, phototherapy, involving exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, can mitigate inflammation and itching.

Additional measures to manage aquagenic pruritus include using tap water instead of rainwater for bathing, applying emollients, opting for warm water, avoiding harsh sponges, and adding baking soda to bathwater, which can help raise pH levels and alleviate symptoms, according to studies.

Tremors in the hands are often linked with older age, but many young individuals also grapple with health conditions that significantly disrupt their daily routines, from simple tasks like writing to more intricate activities. The involuntary shaking of hands, medically known as hand tremor, is a common occurrence.

Hand tremor refers to a neurological condition characterized by involuntary, rhythmic muscle contractions that result in shaking movements in one or both hands. While everyone experiences slight tremors during movement or maintaining a particular posture, they are usually subtle and go unnoticed. However, hand tremors become more apparent when holding the hands out straight or during periods of stress or anxiety. Although these movements are typically not life-threatening, they may indicate underlying health issues related to parts of the brain controlling movement.

Aside from affecting the hands, tremors can occur in other body parts such as the head, arms, legs, and voice box. The precise cause of hand tremors remains elusive, but studies suggest a connection with mild degeneration of the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for movement coordination. Additionally, genetic factors play a significant role in over half of the cases, with certain neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and dystonia also contributing to shaky hands. Furthermore, certain medications and alcohol misuse can exacerbate hand tremors.

Common symptoms of hand tremor include rhythmic shaking of the hands, difficulty with precision tasks like writing or buttoning a shirt, challenges in holding and controlling objects, and alterations in handwriting.

While there is no cure for most tremors, various treatment options are available depending on the underlying cause. These may include managing underlying conditions, making lifestyle changes such as avoiding stimulants and excess alcohol, practicing relaxation techniques for tremors induced by anxiety, adjusting medications, and engaging in physical therapy exercises to enhance muscle control and coordination.